Chautauqua County Tax Map: SBL Numbers, Parcels, and Limits

The Chautauqua County tax map is available online through two tools: the GIS Parcel Viewer for boundary lines, dimensions, and overlays, and the Real Property Tax Lookup portal for ownership, assessment, and payment data.¹² You can search either one by street address, owner name, or Section-Block-Lot (SBL) number. Both are free, and together they cover almost every reason a property owner, buyer, or researcher would need to look at a parcel.

How to Search for a Parcel

Gather one of three identifiers first: the property’s street address, the current owner’s name, or the SBL number. The SBL gives you an exact match fastest. An address works nearly as well.

Open the GIS Parcel Viewer from the county’s Geographic Information Systems page. Type the address, or navigate the map visually to the area you want. Click a parcel to pull up its identification details. Zoom in to see boundary lines more closely, or pan to neighboring lots. You can toggle between the standard tax map overlay and aerial imagery, which helps when you want to see buildings, driveways, or tree lines that the parcel outlines alone don’t show.¹

For dollar figures, go to the Real Property Tax Lookup portal instead. Enter the owner’s name or address and the system returns the SBL, assessed value, property type, and payment history. Property and owner data reflects the most current information from town assessors, but assessment figures are not final for taxing purposes until the Town Final Assessment Roll is filed on or about July 1 each year.²

Finding and Reading the SBL Number

The Section-Block-Lot number is the official identifier for every parcel in the county. The section narrows the parcel to a broad area of the tax map, the block identifies a group of lots within that section, and the lot pinpoints the individual property.

If you don’t have the SBL, pull a recent property tax bill. The number usually appears near the top. You can also find it on a recorded deed, or get it by searching the online tax lookup by owner name or street address.

What the Tax Map Shows

Each parcel appears with its outline, dimensions in feet or acreage, and its SBL. You can see how a property sits in relation to neighboring lots, roads, and waterways.

The Parcel Viewer carries toggleable layers for roads, waterways, legislative and agricultural districts, municipalities, and aerial imagery.¹ Turning these on tells you whether a parcel falls inside a particular municipal boundary or agricultural district without having to look up a separate record. The GIS page also links to a document listing school district ARLM codes, which tie each parcel to its school district for tax apportionment.

Tax Maps Are Not Surveys

The county is explicit on this point. The official disclaimer states that the maps “are not intended for and should not be used to establish boundary lines, locations, or to provide any other information needed for any purpose for which engineered drawings or plans, or surveys are required by law.”¹

In practice: don’t use a tax map to place a fence, build near a property line, or settle a dispute with a neighbor. The data is provided as is, with no warranty of accuracy, completeness, or reliability, and the county disclaims liability for how anyone uses it.¹ For a legally defensible boundary, hire a licensed surveyor. The tax map is a reference tool for assessment and general planning.

Historical Tax Maps

For older versions of tax maps, chain-of-title research, or historical property analysis, the County Archives in the courthouse complex in Mayville hold the largest repository of historical documents in Chautauqua County, with records dating back to 1811.³ The county historian also maintains an online History Resource Hub you can browse before a visit.

When to Call the Real Property Tax Services Office

For questions the online tools can’t answer, or if you need a certified copy of a tax map, contact the office directly:⁴

Address: 3 N. Erie St., Gerace Office Building, Mayville, NY 14757
Phone: 716-753-4221

Staff can help with tax map interpretation, SBL lookups, and questions about assessed values or exemptions. The office and the county Tax Map Division also handle verification of ownership and payment information when you need it confirmed in writing.²

1
Chautauqua County, New York. Geographic Information Systems
2
Chautauqua County. Chautauqua County Real Property Tax Lookup
3
Chautauqua County Government. County Historian
4
Chautauqua County, NY. Real Property Tax